No surprises here: according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association's (HPBA) State of the Barbecue Industry Report, Super Bowl Sunday is the most popular grilling day of the winter and is one of the Top 10 most popular grilling days of the year. 62 percent of grill owners say they will fire up their grills to feed family and friends for the Big Game. Now that's a fire.

I've been saying for years that you shouldn't pack away the grill in the winter. Why should you give up the grilled goodness just because there's a blizzard outside? Grab a shovel, dig a path, and light 'em up.

If you're gonna grill out for the game, the HPBA has a few tips:

• Pre-game Prep - Plan ahead to ensure that you'll be watching the game instead of still preparing the food. Prep food ahead of time by marinating meats the day before. On game day remove from the refrigerator and throw on the grill.

• Burgers, steaks, and chicken are the most popular foods for the grill, but try some other ideas like grilled pizza, grilled veggies and even grilled fruit.

• Using skewers? Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent veggies from sticking.

• Before grilling, trim the excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.

• Place vegetables and fruits at the outer edge of the grill to prevent burning.

• When grilling, use tongs or spatulas to move or turn meats instead of a fork to minimize the loss of juices.

You can find other tips and recipes for the game at www.hpba.org